Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram, Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Dharmendra Pradhan and senior party leaders from Odisha had a meeting with Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport & Highway, here today, to expedite the National Highway projects between Bhubaneswar to Puri and Puri to Bhubaneswar via Konark along with renovation of Jagannath Sadak in light of Shri Jagannath Yatra celebration next year. Shri Oram had also requested to make multi-purpose parking, shopping complex, restaurants and toilets on these highways. These projects will help the pilgrims during festival as well as local residents of Puri to get opportunity for employment. The delegation has also met with Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State (IC) for Culture & Tourism and discussed regarding Nabakalebara ritual of Jagannath Temple and stressed the issue of development of culture and tourism sector in that area so as to make the function a grand success as well as strengthening to regime and cultural aspects of the place will also provide employment on a long term basis.
Jagannath Rath Yatra is celebrated every year at Puri, Odisha. In the coming year 2015, this Rath Yatra will be celebrated after “Nabakalebara”. Nabakalebara is an ancient ritual associated with Jagannath Culture when the Idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, Subhadra and Sudarshan are replaced by a new set of Idols. Next ceremony will be held on 2015 after 19 years. Millions National or International pilgrims are expected to visit the temple during the Nabakalebara in 2015. This will have a good impact on Odisha’s Cultural and Tourism landscape. It is expected that more than 3 million devotees will be visiting on this celebration.